Troy Puts Scare into No. 20 Missouri

Saturday, September 19

Columbia, Mo.

6 p.m.

Troy University

2-1 , 0-0

Missouri

3-0 , 0-0

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
Troy	10	7	0	0	17
Missouri	0	24	0	3	27

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9/19/2026 10:43:00 PM | Football

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By: Troy Athletics Communications

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Troy held No. 20 Missouri to the fourth-fewest yards ever by an SEC opponent against a Sun Belt team, but the Tigers capitalized on two turnovers and a punt return for a touchdown to thwart the upset-minded Trojans, 27-17, Saturday night at Memorial Stadium.

Troy (2-1) led 10-0 after the opening 15 minutes before Missouri (3-0) scored 24 of its 27 points in the second frame. The Tigers scored on back-to-back drives following Troy punting miscues; the first a short field and the second a 68-yard return by DaMarion Fowlkes.

Back-to-back turnovers by the Troy offense, an interception and sack-fumble, both led to Missouri touchdowns and a 24-10 lead with 1:44 to play in the half.

Goose Crowder responded and led the Trojans on a 6-play, 75-yard drive capped by a 55-yard touchdown pass to Howard Kinchen with just four seconds left in the half. It was one of two big strikes by Crowder, who connected with TK Keyes for a 76-yard touchdown on the second play of the game – Crowder and Keyes hooked up for a 73-yard TD on the third play last week.

It marked the first time since 2010 that Troy has had multiple touchdown passes of 70-plus yards in a season; Corey Robinson (now Troy's assistant QB coach) did so three times that season.

Crowder completed 18-of-32 passes for 230 yards and two touchdowns, while his counterpart, Austin Simmons, was 10-of-19 for just 91 yards and a score. Gavin Griffin rushed for 56 yards on 17 carries for the Trojans, and Jamal Roberts finished with 128 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries for the Tigers.

Missouri's 230 yards of total offense were the fewest by a Power 4 opponent against Troy since Arkansas's 125 yards in 2002 and the fewest by Missouri against a G6 opponent since 1996 against Memphis.

The Tigers entered the game ranked 21st in the country, averaging 515.5 yards of total offense and 17th with 324.5 yards through the air.

Neither team could crack the scoreboard in the second half until Blake Craig hit a 36-yard field goal with 7:18 remaining, putting the Tigers up by two scores.

Troy marched down to the Missouri 36-yard line on the ensuing drive, but Ethan Head's 54-yard field goal had the distance but missed its mark.

Up Next
Troy wraps up the non-conference portion of its schedule with a trip to Utah State next Saturday. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. (CT) and the game will be televised on CBS Sports Network.

Quotable - Troy Head Coach Gerad Parker
There's a difference between doing the wrong things at the wrong time. I thought we deserved to say what we said last week, and that's the truth. But tonight, I believe we found a football team. I thought we needed to find our football team early in the year, and it's hard, but we did it.

All respect to Missouri because, wow, they did a fantastic job. All their coaches and players. But I think playing a team like that allowed us to learn a lot about ourselves. I just think we found a lot of things tonight that we can use and develop for the remainder of the year. Our staff did a fantastic job tonight putting our guys in the best possible spots.

Notable
• Troy led 10-0 at the end of the first quarter, marking the second straight season that the Trojans built at least a 10-0 lead over their P4 opponent. Troy led Clemson 16-0 last season.
• Troy's 17 points were its most against a ranked P4 opponent since 2017 when Troy beat No. 22 LSU 24-21.
• Troy has been within seven points in the fourth quarter of all three of its P4 games in Gerad Parker's tenure -- Iowa (24-21, 2024), Clemson (20-16, 2025), Missouri (24-17, 2026).
• TK Keyes caught a 76-yard touchdown pass from Goose Crowder on the second play of the game for his third touchdown reception of the season. Last week, Keyes caught a 73-yard touchdown pass from Crowder on the third play of the game.
• Goose Crowder's 73-yard touchdown pass to TK Keyes was the second-longest of his career; he threw a 98-yard touchdown pass against Florida A&M in 2024.
• It is the first time since 2010 that Troy has multiple touchdown passes of 70-plus yards in a season; Corey Robinson (who is the assistant QB coach at Troy) did so three times that season.
• Howard Kinchen and Nick Hampton caught their first career passes in the game; Troy has had 11 players catch a pass this season, 10 of those players had never caught a pass at Troy prior to this season.
• Howard Kinchen caught his first career touchdown pass as a Trojan on a 55-yard strike from Goose Crowder with just six seconds remaining in the first half.
• Goose Crowder completed 18-of-32 passes for 230 yards and two touchdowns. It was Crowder's 12th career game with a touchdown pass and sixth with multiple touchdowns.
• Troy already has four touchdown plays of 55 yards or more through the first three games of the season; Troy had just three offensive plays of 50-plus yards last season.
• Goose Crowder has attempted 126 passes without an interception dating back to the Southern Miss game last season before being intercepted in the second quarter; ironically, the player who intercepted the pass is now his teammate, Jonathan Pennix.
• Troy scored a touchdown on its opening possession and last possession of the second half for a second straight game.
• Troy held Missouri to just 230 yards of total offense; the fewest by the Tigers since 222 yards against Kansas State on Sept. 10, 2022. It was the fewest yards in a home game by Missouri since a 200-yard effort against Georgia on Sept. 12, 2020. It's the fewest yards against a non-P4 opponent since Memphis held Missouri to 225 yards on Sept. 14, 1996.
• Missouri's 230 yards of offense were the fewest by a P4 opponent against Troy since Arkansas only recorded 125 yards in 2002.
• Missouri's 230 yards of offense were the fewest by an SEC opponent against a Sun Belt team since Texas A&M had 180 yards against App State in 2022; it's the fourth-fewest yards ever by an SEC team against a Sun Belt team -- Kentucky vs. Western Kentucky (190 yards, 2011) and Alabama vs. FIU (224 yards, 2006)
• Donnie Smith recorded his third sack of the season. He entered the week leading the country with a sack in 11 different games over the last two seasons; he has had one in all three games in 2026.
• Justin Powe recorded a career-high 14 tackles for the Trojans; his previous high was 11 against James Madison in the 2025 Sun Belt Championship Game.
• After holding Missouri to just 230 yards of offense, the Trojans have held opponents to 375 yards or fewer in 12 games over the past two seasons.
• Troy has now held consecutive opponents to less than 250 yards of offense (Alabama State, 221 yards) ... It's the first time since 2024 that Troy has held multiple opponents to fewer than 250 yards of offense.
• Troy allowed a returned punt for a touchdown for the first time since Sept. 2, 2017, at Boise State; it was a streak of 116 games.